Proteas Women head coach Mandla Mashimbyi believes the growing recognition of South African (SA) cricket reflects years of deliberate investment and steady progress across the sport’s high-performance pathways.

Mashimbyi was named Coach of the Year at the gsport Awards, while Cricket SA secured the Federation of the Year title. The accolades highlight the governing body’s efforts to expand participation, create sustainable opportunities, and strengthen the commercial and sporting footprint of women’s cricket.

Reflecting on the recognition, Mashimbyi pointed to the consistency of both national teams on the global stage as proof of the solid foundation built in recent years.

“I think it’s a way of showing recognition to SA because of what they’ve been doing throughout the years,” Mashimbyi said. “I think we’ve been a little bit unlucky in not bringing the trophy home, but I think there’s been a lot of good work that’s been put in making sure that we become a force in world cricket, which we are at the moment. The women’s team and the men’s team, they’re always in the semi-finals or finals of competitions or world cups.”

–ChannelAfrica–